TNAG-0832-FCO40-1040-Future-of-the-Dependent-Territories-1979 — Page 18

Mr McLaren

Mr Stratton PS/PUS

CONFIDENTIAL

HKG.025/1

25 OCT 19779

31

Action Taken

POLICY TOWARDS DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

No

се

1. In his minute of 12 September below, Mr Burns asked for clarification on three points arising from my submission of 29 August.

2. On point (a) the answer is yes, the Legal Advisers do agree:

I apologise for not having made this clear originally.

3. A minute by Mr Duff answering the other two points is attached below the submission, at flag A. Since, together with its attachments, this is a somewhat lengthy document, it would perhaps be helpful to summarise it:

Point (b)

It is difficult to define precisely what powers we must retain, but essentially we need to ensure that, for as long as we remain answerable for a territory, its govern- ment will not behave in a way that will bring us into disrepute. Clearly we must retain responsibility for external relations and for defence. Internal security is also obvious enough (though, as Mr Posnett's despatch attached to Mr Duff's minute mentions, there have been occasions in the past when authority over police has, unwisely, been delegated prematurely). We also need to retain control over senior appointments in the public service Mr Duff has quoted a recent instance of an attempt by a chief minister to appoint his son to a senior position for which he was not qualified and, for the same reason, in the judiciary.

Point (c)

The comments about aid in paragraph 6 of the draft despatch (which have been approved by both the geograph- ical and finance departments of the ODA) have been care- fully worded to sound as positive as possible without actually committing us to anything.

24 September 1979

cc:

Mr Duff, WIAD

Miss Beckett, FRD

W.E. Quantrill

WE Quantrill

Hong Kong and General Department K247 233 4381

R.V. Smatten

24 Seft.

CONFIDENTIAL

39